Stitching to shoes or the like



March 31, 1964 w. F. MAVES 3,126,853

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF APPLYING ORNAMENTAL STITCHING T0 SHOES ORTHE LIKE Filed Jul 6, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

WALTER F. MAVES ATTORNEYS;

w. F. MAVES 3,126,853

NG ORNAMENTAL STITCHING T0 SHOES OR THE LIKE March 31, 1964 APPARATUSFOR AND METHOD OF APPLYI 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1961 WALTER F.MAVES WZM ' ATTORNEYS.

W. F. MAVES APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF APPLYI 3,126,853 NG ORNAMENTALMarch 31, 1964 STITCHING TO SHOES OR THE LIKE 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJuly 26, 1961 INVENIOR. WALTER F. MAVES zzykul ATTORNEYS.

March 31, 1964 w. F. MAVES 3,126,353

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF APPLYING ORNAMENTAL s'n'rcumc T0 SHOES ORTHE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 26, 1961 Q N ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF APPLYING gIlgIIgAhIENTAL STITCHING T0 SHOES OR THE Walter F. Maves, Edgerton, Wis,assignor to Nunn- Bush Shoe Company, Miiwaukee, Wis, a corporation ofWisconsin Filed July 26, 1961, Ser. No. 126,967 7 Claims. (Cl. 112-421)This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the method ofapplying ornamental stitching to shoes or the like.

Heretofore, on mens shoes having that type of ornamental stitching onthe upper wherein both the upper and lower threads are visible andprovide a distinctive welt appearance, or so-called surface stitching,the stitching operation has always been done by hand on the last. Thisis a difficult and time-consuming job and requires the use of curvedneedles and considerable skill and experience. With this in mind, ageneral object of the present invention is to provide a unique apparatusand method whereby an unskilled worker can perform the job off of thelast, the machine being adapted to perform the operation many timesfaster than the most skilled human worker can accomplish it by hand on alast.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique method whereinthe upper leather is bent on the intended stitch line and held in such aposition that a straight needle can pass straight through near the apexof the fold and come out on the same side that it entered, i.e. thegrain side.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a surfacestitch sewing machine which is provided with novel, cooperaitng meansfor automatically positioning, bending at said novel angle, holding theworkpiece at said angle, applying the stitching, and continuouslyadvancing the workpiece under the needle, it being merely necessary foran unskilled operator to guide the work to insure that the stitchingfollows the intended pattern on the material.

A further object is to provide a specialized, surface stitching machineas described, which is adapted to be assembled on and integrated with aconventional sewing machine, thus simplifying the assembly andminimizing the cost of manufacture.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide apparatuswhich is simple to operate, durable and long lasting, and well adaptedfor its intended purposes.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of theimproved apparatus for and method of applying ornamental stitching toshoes, and all of its parts, combinations, and steps as set forth in thefollowing specification and claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred form of theinvention, wherein like reference numerals designate the same parts inall of the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved. sewing machine with aworkpiece in position thereon;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the machine showing the workholding and feeding mechanisms;

FIG. 3 is a perspecitve view of the underside of the base, showing thedrive assemblage;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of a shoe upper having ornamentalsurface stitching thereon;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of a shoe upper havingsurface stitching;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the shoe upper illustratedin FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the holding and stitching mechanism;

3,126,853 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 FIG. 8 is a view principally in sideelevation of the mechanism of FIG. 7, parts being shown in verticalsection, and the workpiece being in operating position and shown insection; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of the work advancing wheel in part sectionand showing two positions of pawl movement.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen thatthe specialized sewing machine comprising the present invention isgenerally similar in design and basic construction to conventionalsewing machines, including a base 10, head 11, drive belt 12, balancewheel 13, upper and lower thread bobbins 14 (FIG. 1) and 14' (FIG. 7),thread guides and tension members 15, a depending, vertically movableneedle 16, and an upright, work-supporting post 17 positioned directlybeneath said needle, said post being rigidly supported by braces 18. Asin all conventional machines of this type, the needle 16 isreciprocatably driven by a motor (located under the table and drivablyconnected to the machine through the belt 12), and as said needlecarries a loop of the upper thread 41 through the material, said loop iscaught by the hook 51 of a lower wheel 52 which carries the lower thread42 from the lower bobbin 14' (see FIGS. 7 and 8) to be interlockedtherewith, as is well known. As mentioned, the improved structurecomprising the present invention, and hereinafter described, is adaptedto be built onto and integrated with a conventional sewing machine andconsequently those members of the machine which are well known, such asthe assemblage operatively connecting said needle 16 to the drivemechanism and the other functional members within the head 11, will notbe described in detail herein. It is to be understood, further, thatmany of the components of the illustrated machine could be of slightlydifferent design than those shown, and the improved structurehereinafter described is by no means limited to use in a basic machineof the exact design and construction shown in the drawings.

Heretofore, surface stitching, wherein the upper and lower threads areboth visible on thetop surface of the material and which provides adistinctive and attractive welt appearance (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6), hasalways been done by hand on the last. In order to obtain such a stitchon a machine it was a novel concept of the present inven* tion to foldor bend the material at such an angle (considering the nature of thematerial) on the intended stitch line that it is possible to pass astraight needle, such as the upper needle of a machine, through thematerial just Within the apex of the fold, the needle passing throughthe grain side of the leather but not through the flesh side thereof.For ordinary leather it is preferred that this angle be an acute angle(see 40, FIG. 8), but for very thick materials it might be an obtuseangle. In any event it is usually substantially less than As will behereinafter seen, the novel structure comprising the present inventionis designed not only to automatically position the workpiece in saidangular arrangement and position relative to the needle, but tocontinuously feed the material under the needle in the correct relativeposition, thus requiring only that the operator guide said workpiece sothat the stitching follows the desired pattern thereon.

With particular reference now to the new structure as illustrated in'FIGS. 2, 7, and 8 of the drawings, it will be seen that a narrow,horizontal plate, or work-supporting shelf 19, having a downwardlyinclined lip 19" (see FIG. 9), is mounted near the upper end of theaforementioned work-supporting post 17,, and there being an innervertical abutment shoulder 20* on said plate designed to function as astop gauge for the fold edge of the workpiece during the sewingoperation, as will be described.

Also rigidly mounted on said post 17, and projecting outwardly over saidwork table 19, is a forked member 2121, between the arms of which theneedle is adapted to pass, and having a hold-down arm 21 designed tofunction in cooperation with said angular work shelf 19' to maintain theleather workpiece bent at an acute angle and in the correct positionrelative to the needle. Said hold-down arm 21 has its lower surfacecurved upwardly so that an acute angle is provided between theundersurface of said arm 2 1 land the angled shelf portion 19'.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, pivotally mounted on the :outer end ofthe base is a generally semi-circular arm assemblage 22, hereinafterreferred to as the horn, which extends upwardly and inwardly in an arc,the upper end of said horn normally being spaced forwardly slightlyrelative to the upper end of the post 17. The lower portion of said hornis bifurcated and is rotatably mounted on a transverse bar 23 attachedto the base 10.

Rigidly secured to said pivotal horn 22 and extending inwardly therefromis a horizontal arm 24- having an inner end portion which is bentlaterally at a right angle and connected to the base by a coil spring 25(FIG. 1), said arm normally resting on a stop post 36 projectingupwardly a predetermined distance from the base. A rod 26 is secured toand extends upwardly from said horizontal 'arm member 24 and 'has itsupper end operatively connected to the conventional presser foot-liftermechanism in the head. When it is desired to mount or remove a workpiecefrom the machine, as will be hereinafter described, said arm 24- can beraised against the tension of the spring 25, thereby causing the horn 22to pivot about its axis 23 and away from the post 17, the spring 25returning said horn to its inner, closed position when the liftermechanism is released.

Extending between the upper portion of the worksupporting post 17 andthe vertical portion of the head 11 is an elongated rod 38. By adjustingthe length of said rod, through the threaded connection 38, the lateralposition of the top surface of the work-supporting post 17 relative tothe needle can be varied slightly, said rod actually deflecting theupper portion of the post. Thus, it is possible to make fine adjustmentsof sewing hook to needle.

As is best shown in FIGS. 2, 7, 8, and 9, a horizontally disposed,serrated wheel 27, having feed projections 27', hereinafter called thefeed wheel, is rotatably mounted on and extends beyond the inner end ofthe horn 22, adjacent said work table 19. When the horn is in itsinnermost position, said feed wheel is designed to bear within the foldof a leather workpiece 46 positioned on said work shelf (FIG. 8) and tocontinuously move the same along the work shelf 19' and shoulder andunder the needle, as will be seen.

Also carried on the inner end of the horn 22, immediately above saidfeed wheel 27, is a spring-mounted pawl 28 which is positioned so thatits free end releasably engages in one of a number of apertures 27"spaced around said feed wheel adjacent its periphery. The opposite endof said pawl is connected to a horizontally movable lever 29 mounted onthe upper end of a vertically-disposed, oscillating shaft 30 which isdesigned to turn said feed wheel 27 through said pawl and lever action.The lower end of said shaft 30 is connected through a gear and camarrangement as at 31 in FIG. 3, to a shaft 32, which in turn is gearedas at 33 to the main drive shaft 34 in the machine base, said shaft 34being drivably associated with the motor as in conventional sewingmachines.

Through its gear and cam connection to the drive shaft 34 said verticalshaft 30 is caused to oscillate and the lever 29 on the upper endthereof is driven in a short, horizontal stroke toward and away from thefeed wheel 27 on the horn inner end. As said lever 29 moves, the pawl 28connected thereto engages and drives the feed wheel about its axis ofrotation, said pawl engaging in consecutive apertures 27" on said wheel,and thus providing a ratchet arrangement for rotatably driving saidwheel. The pawl outer end is held under spring tension by thecompression spring 35 so as. to insure that the opposite, wheel-engagingend normally firmly engages within said apertures 27", but permittingsaid pawl to withdraw from said apertures against the spring tension onthe return stroke of the lever. The result is that when the machine isin operation, the workpiece 40 is clamped between the feed wheel 27 andthe shoulder 24) and is continuously driven along said work table by theratchet wheel assemblage through the connection of the latter with theoscillating shaft 3%, which is drivingly associated with the drive shaft34 in the base of the machine.

In the use of the improved sewing machine comprising the presentinvention, the horn 22 is first pivoted outwardly by the operator awayfrom the post 17, and the workpiece it is bent and positioned on thework shelf 19 with the fold edge abutting the shoulder 25), said angularwork shelf 19' and cooperating hold-down arm 21 maintaining saidworkpiece in the correct angular arrangement and position relative tothe needle so that it can pass straight through, as shown in FIG. 8, andcome out on the same (grain) side of the leather. The operator thenswings the upper end of the horn inwardly to a position where the wheel27 thereon bears against said workpiece and presses the same against theshoulder 26, the spring 25 maintaining said horn in the latter position.The sewing operation can then be commenced.

During operation an adjustable jumper push rod 44 (see FIG. 1), which isslidable up and down slightly from the position of FIG. 1, is actuatedautomatically to swing the horn slightly to thereby release the pressureexerted by the wheel 27 on the work as the needle enters the workpiece,the pressure being automatically reapplied as the needle withdraws fromthe workpiece. This prevents binding of the needle between the feedwheel 27 and the shoulder 24) which might cause thread breakage or othertrouble. This action is brought about by the engagement of jumper cam 43(see FIG. 3) with a cam follower 45 on a pivoted arm 44. which supportsthe rod 44 from below.

As mentioned, because the angular arrangement of the workpiece presentsonly the apex of the fold to the needle 16, the needle passes throughthe grain side of the leather but not through the flesh side. Moreover,because of the novel folded position of the material, it is actually theupper surface thereof which is the adjacent surface relative to thelower thread 42 as well as the upper thread 41, and, consequently, whenthe material is removed both the upper thread 41 and lower thread 42 arevisible on the top surface (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6), thus providing a stitchpattern which is neat and attractive and which provides a distinctiveappearance.

Heretofore, such ornamental surface stitching has been done entirely byhand on the last, which is timeconsuming and which requires considerableskill and experience. With the present invention, on the other hand, itis not only possible to perform this delicate stitching jobautomatically, but the machine, with an unskilled operator, is adaptedto perform the operation many times faster.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, the improved structurecomprising the present invention provides a machine for rapidly applyingsurface stitching to leather shoe uppers 40, or the like, which machineincludes means for automatically positioning, and holding the workpiece,for applying the stitching, and for continuously advancing the workpieceunder the needle. Moreover, the structure is durable and long-lasting,is relatively inexpensive in design and construction, and is welladapted for its intended purposes.

The improved method, which involves the use of material havingsubstantial thickness, comprises bending of the material to provide anapex, the sewing of a double line of stitching by use of a needle whichtravels through the material thickness just within the apex, themaintaining of the material in such a bent angular relationship thatboth lines of stitching are on the same side of the material (such asthe grain side when utilizing leather) with the two lines of stitchingbeing connected below the surface of the grain side intermediate thethickness of the material so that there is no stitching which goesthrough to the flesh side, when leather is used. While the two portionsof the workpiece are preferably at an acute angle, the exact angle mayvary with the thickness of the material, it being important, however,when using a sewing machine that the angle be such as to permit thestraight upper needle 16 to enter the grain side, in the case ofleather, and come out on the same side (FIG. 8). While the method may beperformed by hand, it is much more expeditions to perform it on a sewingmachine because the novel concept of holding the leather in apredetermined bent condition adapts the method to the use of a sewingmachine having a straight upper needle, it being an important part ofthe invention to hold the material at such an angle that said straightneedle may pass through from the grain side, near the apex, and come outagain on the grain side without piercing the flesh side.

If the invention is used in connection with a sewing machine of the typehaving an oscillating needle bar, which type is common in the shoeindustry, and which serves to move the work through the machine due tothe forward and backward movement of the needle, then member 27 does nothave to be rotary. On such machine it suffices for member 27 or itsequivalent to merely be a pressure member for pressing the work againstthe shoulder 20, as shown in FIG. 8, and it is unnecessary to have themechanism for rotating the pressure member as in the illustratedembodiment.

It is to be understood, of course, that various changes andmodifications in the structure illustrated and hereinabove describedwill undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art, and all of suchchanges or modifications are contemplated as may come within the scopeof the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a sewing machine for performing ornamental stitching on a piece ofrelatively thick material, said machine having an upper reciprocalneedle and having lower sewing means for coaction with said upperneedle, a work supporting shelf below said upper needle and having anopening through which said needle may pass to operative position withrespect to said lower sewing means and having a shoulder, means formaintaining a piece of material in bent condition on said shelf, meansengageable within the bend of the material for pressing its apex againstsaid shoulder so that there is a thickness of material within said apexwhich is positioned below said upper needle so that said upper needlemay enter one side of said material and come out on the same sidewhereby spaced lines of stitching are made which are visible on the sameside of the material, and means timed with said needle for periodicallyrelieveing the pressure exerted by said bend engaging means as theneedle passes through.

2. In a sewing machine for performing ornamental stitching on a piece ofrelatively thick material, said machine having an upper reciprocalneedle and having lower sewing means for coaction with said upperneedle, a work supporting shelf below said upper needle and having anopening through which said needle may pass to operative position withrespect to said lower sewing means and having a shoulder, means formaintaining a piece of material in bent condition on said shelf, apivoted horn having an arm with rotatable pressure means engageablewithin the bend of the material and supported for rotation along theline of bend for pressing the apex of the material against said shoulderso that there is a thickness of material within said apex which ispositioned below said upper needle so that said upper needle may enterone side of said material and means for causing rotation of saidrotatable pressure means to advance the work and come out on the sameside whereby spaced lines of stitching are made which are visible on thesame side of the material longitudinally of the line of bend.

3. In a sewing machine for performing ornamental stitching on a piece ofrelatively thick material, said machine having an upper reciprocalneedle and having lower sewing means for coaction with said upperneedle, a work supporting shelf below said upper needle and having anopening through which said needle may pass to operative position withrespect to said lower sewing means and having a shoulder, means formaintaining a piece of material in bent condition on said shelf, apivoted horn having an arm with pressure means engageable within thebend of the material for pressing its apex against said shoulder so thatthere is a thickness of material within said apex which is positionedbelow said upper needle so that said upper needle may enter one side ofsaid material and come out on the same side whereby spaced lines ofstitching are made which are visible on the same side of the material,and means timed with said needle for periodically moving said horn toperiodically relieve the pressure exerted by said pressure means on thearm of the horn as the needle passes through.

4. A method of performing ornamental stitching inwardly of the edges ofa piece of relatively thick leather having a grain side and a flesh sidecomprising bending the material substantially short of doubling toprovide a curved ridge portion projecting from the grain side, andsewing longitudinally of the ridge from said grain side straight throughsaid curved portion intermediate the thickness of the material while thematerial is so held that no bent portions on the flesh side are incontact whereby the stitching enters the surface at said grain side onone side of the ridge and emerges from the same side of the material onthe other side of the ridge without passing through the flesh side ofthe material, and cansing the stitching to be sufiiciently close to saidconvex side as to produce and hold a curved ridge without doubling thematerial.

5. A method of performing ornamental stitching inwardly of the edges ofa piece of relatively thick material such as leather comprising bendingthe material substantially short of doubling to provide a curved ridgeportion having a convex side and a concave side, and sewinglongitudinally of said ridge while causing stitching to pass from saidconvex side straight through said curved portion intermediate thethickness of the material While the material is so held that no bentportions on the concave side are in contact whereby the stitching entersthe surfaces at said convex side on one side of the ridge and emergesfrom the same side of the material on the other side of the ridgewithout passing through the opposite side of the material to producespaced lines of stitching longitudinally of and on opposite sides ofsaid ridge, and causing the stitching to be sufficiently close to saidconvex side as to produce and hold said curved ridge without doublingthe material.

6. As a new article of manufacture a sheet of relatively thick flexiblematerial such as leather displaced along a narrow line to provide anelongated low surface ridge of unbroken rounded cross section on oneside which projects above the surface of the leather on said side adistance short of that which would double the displaced material, andthere being a shallow groove of arcuate cross section on the oppositeside, and ornamental stitching along each side of said ridge havingconnecting stitching passing intermediate the thickness of the materialfrom one side of said ridge to the other without passing through theopposite side of the material and being sufficiently close to the sidehaving the ridge to maintain said low ridge without doubling thematerial into two parallel thicknesses.

7. In a sewing machine for performing ornamental stitching on a piece ofrelatively thick material, said machine having an upper reciprocalneedle, having lower sewing means for lcoaction with said upper needle,and having a shoulder, means for maintaining and supporting a piece ofmaterial in bent condition, means engageable Within the bend of thematerial for pressing its apex against said shoulder so that there is athickness of material within said apex which is positioned below saidupper needle so that said upper needle may enter one side of saidmaterial and come out on the same side whereby spaced lines of stitchingare made which are visible on the same side of the material, and meanstimed with said needle for periodically relieving the pressure exertedby said bend-engaging means as the needle passes through.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS293,478 Levy et al Feb. 12, 1884 1,521,853 Augustine Jan. 6, 19252,221,320 Ashworth Nov. 12, 1940 2,408,738 Crawford Oct. 8, 19462,489,489 Heggie Nov. 29, 1949 2,652,014 Heggie Sept. 15, 1953

4. A METHOD OF PERFORMING ORNAMENTAL STICHING INWARDLY OF THE EDGES OF APIECE OF RELATIVELY THICK LEATHER HAVING A GRAIN SIDE AND A FLESH SIDECOMPRISING BENDING THE MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY SHORT OF DOUBLING TOPROVIDE A CURVED RIDGE PORTION PROJECTING FROM THE GRAIN SIDE, ANDSEWING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE RIDGE FROM SAID GRAIN SIDE STRAIGHT THROUGHSAID CURVED PORTION INTERMEDIATE THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL WHILE THEMATERIAL IS SO HELD THAT NO BENT PORTIONS ON THE FLESH SIDE ARE INCONTACT WHEREBY THE STITCHING ENTERS THE SURFACE AT SAID GRAIN SIDE ONONE SIDE OF THE RIDGE AND EMERGES FROM THE SAME SIDE OF THE MATERIAL ONTHE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE WITHOUT PASSING THROUGH THE FLESH SIDE OFTHE MATERIAL, AND CAUSING THE STITCHING TO BE SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE TO SAIDCONVEX SIDE AS TO PRODUCE AND HOLD A CURVED RIDGE WITHOUT DOUBLING THEMATERIAL.
 6. AS A NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE A SHEET OF RELATIVELY THICKFLEXIBLE MATERIAL SUCH AS LEATHER DISPLACED ALONG A NARROW LINE TOPROVIDE AN ELONGATED LOW SURFACE RIDGE OF UNBROKEN ROUNDED CROSS SECTIONON ONE SIDE WHICH PROJECTS ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE LEATHER ON SAID SIDEA DISTANCE SHORT OF THAT WHICH WOULD DOUBLE THE DISPLACED MATERIAL, ANDTHERE BEING A SHALLOW GROOVE OF ARCUATE CROSS SECTION ON THE OPPOSITESIDE, AND ORNAMENTAL STICHING ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID RIDGE HAVINGCONNECTING STITCHING PASSING INTERMEDIATE THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIALFROM ONE SIDE OF SAID RIDGE TO THE OTHER WITHOUT PASSING THROUGH THEOPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MATERIAL AND BEING SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE TO THE SIDEHAVING THE RIDGE TO MAINTAIN SAID LOW RIDGE WITHOUT DOUBLING THEMATERIAL INTO TWO PARALLEL THICKNESSES.